The Chronicles of Aralscourt
by CamCon97
Summary: In the massive world of Pokémon, we have seen many regions, including Kanto, Hoenn, and Unova. But there is one whose past has never yet been recorded. The rich history of the long-forgotten Paradise Kingdom of Aralscourt is about to unfold. The legendary adventure of two young Pokémon of humble origins begins here, begins now. (Contains Religious messages, rated T for violence)
1. Chapter I

Chapter I- "A Hundred Years"

_**"Ha, Brothers. You can't live with 'em, you can't live without 'em."-Mario (Super Mario Bros. 3 Animated Series- Oh Brother!)**_

* * *

_ "A Hundred Years."_

Riolu sighed as the thoughts returned to his mind.

_"How can anyone live for a hundred years?"_

He lay on his back, hands under his head, staring at the ceiling. His nest-like bed, made from the luxuriously soft Nalee grass like any bed, felt hard and cold as if it were stone. The inexplicable notion made no sense whatsoever, and had been relentlessly torturing him for the last week. Every conceivable explanation turned out too far-fetched to be believable.

Riolu was, well, a Riolu, a small Pokémon with blue fur and a dark stripe like a mask over his orange-red eyes. While most other of his kind were a more pale shade of blue (though he wouldn't know since he had never met another of his uncommon race), he was a beautiful sky blue, as blue as the sea after a great storm.

"You've been awfully quiet; what's wrong?"

Riolu's train of thought was suddenly broken, startling him. His head turned to face the source of the voice that had spoken. Sitting in a Nalee nest not unlike his own was a Torchic his age. With its three feathers shaped like a maple leaf on top of its head, it bore a tan x-shaped mark on its forehead, not a normal thing, and a face expressing a kind, brotherly love.

Riolu smiled on return. He knew this Chick Pokémon almost as well as he knew himself. They had been growing up side-by-side for as long as they could remember, and had been living under the same small roof, just the two of them, for the last five years.

"Nothing, Kelly. I was just thinking."

Kelly signed. " 'A hundred years' again, I presume."

"Yes," Riolu grumbled, "that again. I just can't get my mind off of it."

"Twenty-three times, now. I've been keeping track."

_Of course you have. How silly of me to not expect that._

All the time they spoke, Kelly kept his eyes trained on Riolu, while Riolu stared at the ceiling. Riolu had a tendancy to isolate himself, as his dark side flowed deeply in his heart. Unanswered questions and troublesome memories haunted him as the curse of impending death does to all. Being such an unusual Pokémon, he had been the victim of many bullies during his earlier years, which was not only an unpleasant reminiscence but upset the balance of reasonable pride for an unsteady self-esteem. The reason why he had never known his own mother and father had lingered like a ghost about him for as long as he had noticed something awry in his life. If you are an orphan, you will probably know what this is like. He had often asked the village elder, who would, every time, clearly evade the question. Thus, he was never given the answer directly, but he could guess. Despite this, he had always managed a good humour and could be social when he needed to, even though it wasn't natural to him.

Kelly, on the other hand, was quite well the opposite personality. Like his indirect brother, he knew not of his heritage, and his history had also been kept from him. Unlike Riolu, however, he was not in the least worked up about it. He kept a constant air of wellness and happiness, and never seemed to run out of jokes to lighten the mood. He was a month or so older than Riolu, and seemed be watching over Riolu and protecting him from harm. Whenever Riolu had been picked on, Kelly was there to stand up for him. Kelly was known to be reckless and proud of himself, even when he did something thick-headed. Riolu often had to help his blundering brother back on his feet, both literally and metaphorically (Kelly had twisted his talon a couple of times). Even so, he was never the one to let an insulting joke get him down, and simply "rolled with the punches," as the people of our world so often say.

At the time, Kelly was wondering why the long face from his friend, since they had been home all day and had woken about an hour ago, not saying a word until he had asked Riolu what was wrong.

"What's the matter? Didn't sleep well?" he was anxious to figure out why Riolu was in such a bad mood, and to pull him out of it.

"Partly. Something about that monarch of ours intrigues me. He's not an ordinary human or Pokémon, that much I know."

"You're not going to join his brute squad, are you?"

Riolu turned his head toward his friend accusingly. "Whatever got _that _notion into your head?"

Just as he expected, Riolu saw that familiar mischievious gleam in Kelly's eyes, along with that stupid grin that he always wore when he was joking. What he didn't know was that Kelly had intended to get Riolu's eye contact, at which the wily Torchic succeeded.

"Anyway," Kelly said, dropping his act. "I'm going to town today. It's Nauvoday,* and you know that means market day. Want to come?"

_Well, I don't have anything else planned for today. And I am in the mood for a visit with Grandpa... _"Alright."

Riolu lifted himself out of his Nalee bed and stretched himself out. After picking up a small leather bag with about eighty Poké, he glanced about the room. It was the bedroom, dining room, and living room all at the same time: in short the only room in the five-meter-diameter "house," which was simply built into a cliff. Two nests, a fire pit in the center, a wood table, a drawer, and a small spring-water fountain: not much else to it. The stone walls were nicely hung in some places with moss that absorbed any water that tried to trickle through cracks. A pair of circular glass windows let in the morning light, beautifully illuminating the room and showing the sea and the little town of Vonias about half a kilometer away. A doorway led to stairs that would take one above to the top of the cliff, outside. And hung upon the wall over the beds was a sword. The blade was brilliant, and it gave a radiant gleam when the sun's rays reflected of of it. All the same, it was an ordinary weapon (a gift from their "Grandpa") and though surprisingly light and uncannily sound it was never even that sharp. Still, it was a great comfort in these times of strife.

Riolu stood at the doorway, looking over the room. He stopped when he heard Kelly calling from the top of the stairs, and turned to ascend up the steps.

The sun shone bightly that day. A nice breeze blew from the eastern sea. The waves crashed upon the shore not far off. A few dense white clouds floated lazily across the sky, and the occasional call of a Wingull was heard. Another absolutely beautiful morning, this day especially. Riolu sighed contently as he enjoyed the sun and wind in his face. He had always found it ironic that this place was always so peaceful while the rest of the land was total disorder. He was grateful to live here, of all places. Kelly was also enjoying the sun, but he faced the wind with more effort since he was lighter and more subject to getting swept off his feet. Both knew it was going to be a gloriously fine day.

But what they didn't notice was something watching them some thirty paces away. It was humanoid in shape and wore a black cloak with a hood that cast a total shadow over its face. Black gloves hid its hands. An ominous pale-blue orb hung from a necklace, with large links that caused faint resemblance to a prisoner's ball-and-chain.

It watched until Riolu and Kelly were out of sight. One gloved hand went up to the small orb, which then glowed slightly.

"Revolu to Xarimasa. Send the brutes to Vonias. I have found one." Its voice was deep and unearthly, almost like some ghost. Another voice, also deep, followed.

"Is it _the_ one? We have been at this for a hundred years now, and every blasted one has been another-"

"You know the master's orders. Whether it's a_nother_ one or _the _one, take it _at all costs. _Take life if necessary. Since you insist, I will keep an eye on this one."

"And be sure to mark it with the Sigil_._"

"Fine. You will know if we have finally found the one we have been looking for."

* * *

_**Finally, after years of dreaming and little doing, the first chapter is posted! In the story, things are peaceful now, but later on there will be more action. Also, this story will have religious references, but mind: not the whole thing is intended to be broken down and analyzed. Reviews are greatly appreciated, and if you have caught any grammatical errors I have overlooked, please make a note of them.**_

_***Nauvoday-the system of days, weeks, months, and years works slightly differently in Aralscourt. There are twenty-four hour days and seven days a week, but the rest is not exactly side-by-side. To sum it up, Nauvoday is the Aralsian equivalent of Monday, and is the best day of the week for market. The Aralsian year is fourteen months, twenty-six days a month, New Year's Day being the first day of Spring and not part of any month.**_

_**CamCon97**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter II- Vonias**  
**_"What do you mean? Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?" -Gandalf, The Hobbit_**

* * *

Like any day, the little town of Vonias was busy. Not the rushed, frantic free-for-all we find in a modern city, but a more festive and friendly sort you might find if knew everyone around you. That was how things were here. The only people you would not know after growing up there would be the travelers and merchants. Barely two kilometers across, only a couple hundred beings lived here, almost all Pokémon.

There was nothing particularly special about the simple market on any given day of the week, not even on Nauvoday. But this one day of the week made the market something else. Today, there were musicians, a dancing stage, and even a pair of wrestling Makuhita, apparently from the larger town of Jestaleiahg over the Central Mountains. Many traders from all over had stopped here the day before to sell their goods today. Thousands of carvings, trinkets, pastries, and other such valuable items dotted the stalls for many a street.

This was all home to Riolu and Kelly. They had never known anything else their whole lives, nor could they ask for anything else. Perhaps you have grown especially attached to a certain place, such as a childhood home. You would know that leaving such a place can be inconceivable. That is how the two felt about Vonias. They never even thought about leaving.

Bidding good morning to nearly every close acquaintance they passed (which numbered many), Riolu and Kelly stopped at various stalls which carried items they needed, having earned the money by helping local fishermen and builders. They purchased some food to last the next few days, along with a wood plate to replace a clay one that had been broken a day or so before. Riolu spent two years' worth of savings at the stall of a human blacksmith from Hoenn, buying a bandoleer attached in parallel to a scabbard made specifically for the dimensions of his sword at home. It was rather plain, made of wood with a silver throat and chape, but that didn't matter. The blacksmith assured them of its practicality, and Riolu had neither reason nor intention to complain or believe otherwise.

Later, in the early afternoon, Riolu noticed the shadows fading with the sunlight. Looking up, he saw large clouds beginning to invade the sky, already blotting out the sun.

"Looks like a storm is coming from the east," Kelly noted. "Should be here by nightfall, nothing to worry about." Kelly, a fire-type, was not exactly fond of rain.

"Well, are we going to visit Grandpa today?" Riolu insisted.

"That's the plan," Kelly responded. "So what are we waiting for?"

After navigating through a few crowded streets, they came to the small house at the very center of the town. This was the house of the village elder, Noctowl. Though they were not exactly blood-related, Riolu and Kelly had grown up calling him their "Grandpa," since he had raised them until they were old enough to care for themselves. Although somewhat quirky at times, Noctowl was wise and loved telling stories and reading ancient texts.

Riolu rung the bell softly. Half a minute later, the door swung slowly open. A pair of large eyes, ominous but full of kindness, blinked in the afternoon sunlight that flooded in from the doorway. An Owl Pokémon, Noctowl slept most of the day and was very sensitive to light. Spending time with him always felt like a confidential meeting of a sort.

"Good evening, boys," Elder Noctowl said. "How are you?"

"We're doing very well," Kelly replied.

"We just stopped by to check up," Riolu added.

"Ah, come inside, and we can talk more."

Like Riolu and Kelly's home, this house was pretty small, consisting of only one room. Curtains covered the windows as a barricade against the light which insisted on getting in. One one side of the room, there was a sturdy wood bar suspended a few inches off the ground. Several chairs were set at the center of the room, for guests. Riolu and Kelly took their usual places on the chairs, and Noctowl on the bar.

"So what of that book you found?" Riolu asked over a cup of Pecha berry tea.

"Excellent. It makes one very introspective. 'Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God.' I stopped there this morning. It reminded me of you two."

"Any news of the world?" Kelly insisted.

"More than plenty. There's talk of people trying to create a kind of tool to carry Pokémon in. No one knows how it is to be done, but the poachers seem excited about it. Tension is rising out in Johto and it is believed to be the prelude of another war."

"Another war?" Riolu sighed.

"On top of that," Noctowl continued,"here in Aralscourt, the Emperor Obscurux is beginning the hundredth year of his reign. Only half of the land is honestly toasting to his even longer life."

At the mention of the Emperor, Riolu set down his saucer with the tea barely touched. He sighed heavily as he slumped in his chair. A fine day until this_. Perfect._

Kelly turned toward his friend. "Oh, come on, you're not letting that get on you again, are you?"

"Unless I am greatly mistaken, it seems I mentioned all this last week." Noctowl noted with his head turned upside-down. It would explain why there were two wars going on in Johto, so far as Riolu and Kelly knew!

"I really wish everyone would stop talking about that," Riolu said, half to himself. "Every time I hear someone say even the name, I get reminded of the 'hundred-year reign' thing, and it has been bothering me for a long time now."

"Well sure, if you mean it _feels_ like it's been a long time." Kelly added.

"Hmm, and do you know why it is such an issue everywhere?" Elder Noctowl asked.

"Not really," both boys admitted simultaneously.

"Ah, in that case, I might as well tell you. It began while the past king was ruling over these lands. Unlike the emperor of today, he was very selfless and rarely did anything for his own gain. Seldom did he arrest anyone other than thieves or murderers. The Kingdom prospered during his reign, and there was peace across the world. Somehow it seems that there were fewer wars then. His people loved him, and he loved them all as his own children.

"One of his counselors, however, was envious of his power as monarch, and had his own vision for Aralscourt. He deviously wove together a set of events which ultimately robbed him of his family, his closest friend, his royalty, and his life. The former counselor was careful to eliminate anyone who could claim the throne, including the king's children and nephews. Renamed 'Obscurux', he took the throne for himself, waging wars in many nations and slaughtering among his own people. However, a strange phenomenon followed. His life seemed to be extended, so that he aged at a much slower pace than usual. A hundred years later, he lives on, ruling and oppressing.

"You boys are very lucky to live in Vonias. Some say it is the only little town in Aralscourt to be spared of the strife that warps the rest of the land."

There was a period of silence. Riolu looked down as if deep in thought, while Kelly stared into the dusty space between himself and Noctowl.

Finally, Kelly got up and peeked out the window. "It's getting late, Grandpa. We should be going home now."

Elder Noctowl nodded slowly. "Oh is it? I'm glad to see you have finally come into terms with your bedtime. Or has it to do with the nearing storm?"

"Uh... wait, I'm coming to _what_ with _who_ about a mirroring-?"

"He means to say," Riolu interrupted, "Kelly means that we should go home to avoid the storm and make it to bed in time."

"Aha, I see. Well, I will not detain you two any longer," Noctowl chuckled. "Go on, off with ye."

"Alright," Kelly said, recovering from his moment of confusion. "Goodbye."

Riolu opened the door. Instead of the warm afternoon sunlight, a cold and heavy wind forced its way in. Nobody present was unaware of the unusual sense of dread that it carried. Pokémon are much more sensitive to abnormal changes in the ways of nature than humans are. There was something wrong here, something a storm on the western wind could not be responsible for.

Kelly shivered uneasily. "Grandpa..."

"I feel it, too. This is no ordinary storm-draught."

Elder Noctowl's face turned grave and serious. "Be careful on the road. There is no telling what is behind this, but the least we can say is that there are no good intentions at the source. I fear for both of you, but most especially for you, Riolu. If this is what I suspect, the lives of the three of us are at risk, but none more so than yours!"

Riolu paled. "Something out there... for _me?_"

* * *

**_Oh, boy. Things appear to be taking a sharp turn! Everything is going to change in a little bit, so get ready for that. By the way, any idea which "ancient text" Elder Noctowl was reading?_**

**_Sorry I haven't posted anything in a while. I admit that I am pretty slow (well, I think inconsistent works better), but once I get to the action, I will most likely step it up a pace. All reviews greatly appreciated!_**

**_CamCon97_**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter III- Realization**_  
**"Order is the first need of the soul." -Russell Kirk**_

* * *

Lightning flashed.

Heavy rain pelted the windows.

The wind howled angrily.

But the storm in Riolu's head was probably just as furious as the one over the roof. What had Elder Noctowl meant? Could someone really be out for his blood?

It was near midnight. Riolu lay on his bed in a manner not unlike the way he had lay that morning: on his back, hands under his head, facing the ceiling. Next to him, Kelly appeared to be sleeping soundly, or was doing an excellent job at pretending to be so. A small fire was burning in the firepit, the smoke swirling its way through the overhead chimney that let it it out without allowing the rain or wind in. A good thing, he had thought, that the door was also made to keep everything out. It was bad enough with the ground trembling with the force of the lightning, however lightly, the sound of rain tapping repetitively yet randomly on glass. The last thing he needed was to be flooded out of his house like a Rattata in a hole. But he was stuck with the memory of the evening's scare, which was as uneasing as it was baffling. _T__he lives of the three of us are at risk, but none more so than yours!_

"Riolu, are you still awake?"

In the deep noisy silence, a whispering voice was a sudden fright. Riolu jumped before turning. Even though he recognized the voice, he was relieved to see Kelly's face in the flickering firelight. Evidently, he was facing the same restlessness that afflicted Riolu, and had only been trying to fall asleep.

"Yes, I am." Riolu replied gravely, his heart still beating quickly. "You can't sleep?"

"No, and I believe I am safe to presume for the same cause as yourself."

Riolu nodded. "Not to mention all of the noise outside."

"At least we were indoors when the worst came down. I'd hate to have all that wind and that lightning around me... and that rain... But Riolu, have you ever seen anything like it before?"

"No, and that's what I don't understand. This is by far the most violent storm I have seen. And come to think of it, it's the time of the year with the fewest and least severe storms. So far, the worst we've had have only been gales and the occasional thunderstorm."

"My guess would have been that periods without storms build up power into a bigger one, but that wouldn't explain... ah, did you notice how cold the wind was?"

Riolu nodded. Warm winds over the western sea had always been carried along onto the mainland with (or without) the help of storms. The chilling effects of_ these _winds felt unnatural and diabolical to one without knowledge of its existence. "And how could we be in danger? Grandpa said our lives were being threatened."

Kelly shivered. "I haven't the slightest idea. I really don't see how _you _of all people could be the reason for all of this (not that I'm blaming you, of course not). The only person I can think of that would try to attack you would be one of those infernal bullies, and even they couldn't start a squall such as this if they tried."

The thunder boomed again in a greater noise than they had ever heard. The floor shook savagely and the windows nearly shattered from the instantaneous explosion of light. Dust and a small amount of debris fell from the ceiling and walls. A chair at the table tipped over and the sword on the wall, quite forgotten about at this point in time, fell with a drowned-out clatter onto the floor. The fire rose suddenly, then went out as quickly as the lightning which had struck just outside their front door, leaving the two in complete darkness.

* * *

"Was it something _I_ said, by any chance?"

The room had been restored to order. The overturned chair had been set upright, and the fire was burning once more. The only thing not in it original place was the sword, which was now in its scabbard and on Riolu's lap. True to the blacksmith's words, the scabbard fit over the blade perfectly. Riolu and Kelly were now sitting up in their beds, both wide-awake from the sudden chaos.

"I doubt it. With our house's altitude, it was bound to happen sooner or later." Riolu was not a believer in such chance.

"Nevertheless, that was pretty intense."

"Did you expect otherwise? Raw electricity, streaking from the heavens?"

"It only makes me realize why electric types are usually taken seriously in wrestling," Kelly mused.

Riolu rolled his eyes. It was clear that the previous disturbance had left Kelly in a bad mood. At the same time, it seemed like Kelly was constantly working up unimportant comments to make during serious moments. When Riolu, on the other hand, was on a conversation he deemed important in whatever way, he stuck to the topic it until it was over. Younger though he was, he wondered if Kelly would ever grow up and start being more mature.

Riolu decided to get back to the point. "So this storm is getting stronger now. You know as well as I do that _normally_ storms weaken when they reach land."

Kelly simply replied, "Some western storm."

_Still,_ Riolu thought, his temper beginning to rise,_ he is still doing this. Why does he always have to be so stubborn with his ways? A bad storm and all he has to say is-_

Then it struck him. He abruptly sat up.

All weather over Vonias and the surrounding areas were affected by east-ward winds, which blew from the west sea. Earlier, Kelly had noted the clouds moving west:_ against the wind._ And if it was _heading_ west, then everything came into place.

"This is a _east _storm!"

"Well, it's about time you- _WHAT?!"_

"This storm," Riolu repeated, this time calmly and slowly, "Came from the east, not the west." He then explained his reasoning.

"Réirü em Croisæ ár d'Tiārné!* It all makes sense now! Riolu, remember what lies at the farthest end of Aralscourt?"

"The Black Palace, yes." The castle of the Emperor was rumored to be something of a fortress crossed with a pagan temple of a sort. "Why?"

"That mountain of bricks is at the far _east_ side of Aralscourt! This tempest is incredibly powerful: endless thunder, rain, wind... and now I think I can hear hail! Judging by its direction, it traversed the _entire mainland_ and didn't lose speed (or if it has, I wouldn't want to see it when it started)!"

Riolu's mind was racing to keep up with Kelly's words. Somehow the air seemed to have gotten very hot and stuffy, causing sweat to build up on his forehead. He probably would have put the fire out had it not been their only reliable source of light. "What are you trying to say?"

"Grandpa said you were in trouble! Now I see what he meant. This storm is getting its strength from the Dark Emperor himself!"

Riolu couldn't believe his ears. After a long pause, he finally said in disbelief, "Why in the world would such a powerful being want anything to do with me, small, weak and insignificant as I am?"

"There is no other possibility. The pieces of this puzzle go together almost too well," Kelly said gravely yet artificially softly. He sounded as if he were a guildmaster impatiently explaining to an apprentice why not to use a Magikarp as a stonemason's wedge. "But there are still a few pieces missing. Why he wants you, what will we do, and why he would use a storm to get at you."

Kelly stopped and yawned. It took a moment for Riolu to suddenly realized how tired he was himself. It was well past midnight, and both were normally out by ten.

"Kelly," Riolu stretched over a yawn of his own, "I don't want to talk about this anymore tonight. I don't know about you, but I am dead tired."

"Al...riiiiiggghhht... Goodnight, ol' boy."

By the time Kelly had finished his last remark, Riolu was already laying down again, his sword close by his side. Before following suit, Kelly extinguished the embers in the fire pit and picked up a stray Poké from the floor. After the eventful and frightening day, it was a mercy for both of them that they quickly fell asleep.

* * *

**_Oh, dear. I don't mind saying I wouldn't get a minute's sleep in that situation, be I marveling at the weather or praying for my life. Did you see it coming, the storm's little secret? If you did, I would have to ask how many mystery novels you read. More to come soon._**

**_*A common Modern Aralsian exclamation, generally means "By the Cross of the Son". There are three dialects of Aralsian: Ancient, Old, and Modern. I will explain them in a study._**

**_God bless!_**

**_CamCon97_**


End file.
